Tape dispenser



May 24, 1955 1.. J. wEls I 'ma DISPENSER Filed April 25, 1951 fave/M011 mais aff/6115' United States, Patenti@ 2,709,049 TAPE nIsPENsER Louis J. Weis, Chicago, Ill. Application April 25, 1951,`S erial`No. 222,885

Claims. (Cl. 242-55.5)

This invention relates to a tape dispenser particularly adapted for the convenient storage and'dispensing of what is technically known as pressure sensitive tape, that is, tape which needs no moistening to become ad hesive, and which adheres to most dry surfaces merely upon pressure contact therewith.

Among the various difficulties and problems involved in the handling and storage of pressure sensitive tapes is the lack of adequate safeguards in some of the dispensers now iu use against the tendency of the free end of a roll of tape to become reeugaged accidentally with the roll, the result of which is considerable annoyance and difliculty in disengaging the free end. Some dispensers, therefore, have a bar or ledge on which the free end of the tape can readily be stuck to prevent accidental reengagement with the roll.

However, a common and well known difficulty which has been experienced in the case of certain dispensers so point to which the tape remains adhered to the roll, isl

left in such dispensers freely exposed to the atmosphere and after a short period of time has dried suiciently so that its adhesive qualities are seriously diminished. While such exposed portions which have become too dry to be useful may be severed and thrown away, if this operation is repeated many times there results a substantial Wastage of tape.

My invention aims to provide an improved form of dispenser which is not onlyniore convenient to use than many of the dispensers heretofore available, butwhich is also so constructed that practically no tape remains exposed to the outside atmosphere between successive severing operations and consequently little or none of it is spoiled by drying. l

Another advantage residing in this invention isthat the dispenser carries a small moisture holding pad within the casing of the dispenser to lrnoiste'n the atmosphere therein, which will diminish 4the tendencyl o f the tape to dry and deteriorate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser so constructed that when a portion of` tape has been severed for use, the free end remaining will automatically adhere to a ledge or surface provided for that purpose and may be further adhered thereto conveniently by a simple manipulation of the free end of the tape.

Other of the numerous advantages of this invention will be mentioned hereinafter or will become apparent from a perusal of the following specification.

Referring now to the drawing,

Fig. l is a perspective View of a dispenser made in accordance with this invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverselsectional view taken on the` plane',

of the broken line 3-3 of Fig. I2.l

Fig. 4 is substantially a duplicate of a fragment of Fig. 2, showing the tape in a dispensing operation, prior to being cut off.

Fig. 5 is a disassembled view of the two parts of the dispenser casing.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6--6 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the casing consists of two telescoping parts generally designated as 10 and 11. 'Ihe section 11 provides a centrally located hub for rotatably supporting the roll of tape, having a side wall 12 and a closed bottom wall 13 forming a receptacle in which a pad 14 of moisture retaining material, such as a piece of felt, may be positioned. The small finger grip recesses 15 and 15' in the two casing parts may be provided, if desired.

The face Wall 16 is preferably formed integrally with the peripheral wall 17 on which are mounted, and preferably formed integrally therewith, the tape retaining ange 18 and the flange or cutter bar 19, the latter having formed integrally therewith teeth 20 to facilitate the cutting of the tape. If desired, a piece of metal having a serrated cutting edge may be attached to the ange 19 as a` substitution for the integral teeth 20.

Immediately adjacent the flange 1S is the axially extending rectangular slot 21 which intersects the edge 22 of the casing wall 17, thus making it possible to insert edgewise the free end of the tape, when a fresh roll of tape is being placed in this dispenser.

The portion 23 of the arcuate casing wall 17 lying between the flanges 18 and 19 is thickened at 24 and has an inclined smooth edge around which the tape is bent and slides when it is being pulled out preliminary to being cut oi, as is indicated in Fig. 4.

The nose 25 of this thickened portion prottudes in a circumferential direction somewhat beyond the nearest vertical face or radially extending face of the flange 18 so that after the tape has been severed and the free end has been stuck to the ange 18 the portion of the tape passing through the slot 21 will be reversely curved, as is shown in Fig. 2. The tape itself by contacting the nose 25 on its smooth side and the ange 18 on its adhesively coated side thus eiectively seals 0E or prevents the passage of air through the aperture 21 along the opposite faces of the adhesive tape.

` The inner margin 25 of the slot 21 serves as a fulcrum against which the free end portion of the severed tape reacts causing the opposite face of the tape, the adhesive face, to adhere to the opposite margin of the slot, as eX- plained hereinafter.

The thickened portion 24, however, is not as wide as the width of the casing wall 17. It terminates at an edge portion which, as shown in Fig. 6, will abut against a short arcuately extending boss 26, which is provided on the casing member 10, as shown. i

The purpose of this careful design of the slot 21 and the adjacent portions of the casing, is to prevent as far as is possible, any movement of air past the tape and through the slot 21 when the two sections of the casing are closed together and contain a roll of tape. When assembled, the wall 27 of the casing member 10 telescopes a short distance over and outside of the arcuate wall 17 of the casing member 11 and even though the Wall 27 is notched out between the edges 28 and 29 there still remains a rather narrow arcuate flange 30 which overlapsv the interior of the casing to the outside of the casing through any portion of the slot 21 which is not already closed and sealed by the tape itself as shown in Fig. 2 and explained above. While the total sealing against air flow into or out of the casing is of course not an absolute seal, in the sense of being pressure-proof, nevertheless it is sufliciently close to an absolute seal as to prevent any substantial movement of air into and out of the casing. Accordingly, moisture supplied to the interior atmosphere by the water absorbent pad 14 should remain inside of the casing and not only keep the entire roll of tape in good condition but also prevent from drying out that short portion of the tape which has been detached from the roll and extends therefrom as far as the inner margin of the slot 21.

When it is desired to refill this dispenser it is apparent that one needs only to remove the casing member from the casing member 11, pull out the old core and slipin a new roll of tape extending a f ree end therefrom and passing it edgewise through the slot 21 and thereafter engaging it against the flange 18, that is, with the adhesive side of the tape toward the flange 18, and the smooth non-adhesive side of the tape facing toward the flange 19.

While the selection of material yfrom which this device may be made is subject to considerable choice, it is apparent that the entire device may very well be made of molded plastic material, thus making possible the production of a light-weight and inexpensive dispenser.

In the use of the device, assuming that the casing is already loaded with a roll of tape, the pressure sensitive side 31 of the tape is preferably adhered against the flange 18 merely by pressing it thereagainst with a linger. The smooth uncoated surface 32 of the tape faces the flange 19 and also faces the sloping edge of the thickened portion 24 of the casing wall adjoining the slot 21. The user of the device merely grasps that free end portion A of the tape, which extends beyond the llange 18, detaches it from the flange 18 and extends it out as far as is required for the instant use of the tape.

While pulling the tape out it is recommended that the tape be inclined over member 19 and the smooth non-sticky side of the tape be pressed against the nose 25 of the casing wall over which it will freely slide, avoiding contact with the opposite margin of the slot. This V procedure not only is convenient but also avoids damage to the adhesive side of the tape. After extending the tape as fully as is desired it will then be pressed down over the serrated teeth 20 on the flange 19 and torn olf in a familiar manner. When so cut olf, the amount of tape which remains extended outside of the casing wall from the outer edge of the slot 21 to the top edge of the flange 19 will be just sulicient so that when the tape is swung back to stick it or anchor it against the flange 18 there will remain enough tape extending beyond the llange 18 so that it may readily and conveniently be grasped by the fingers of the user the next time he wishes to withdraw some tape for use.

A valuable feature of this invention has previously been mentioned, i. e., when the tape is stuck against the flange 18 between successive uses of the device, the slot 21 is effectively sealed.

Furthermore, a ssoon as the operator tears olf the tape, by lpressing' it against the top serrated edge of the flange 19, the natural resiliency of the tape will cause the free end of it to spring back and make contact with at least the base portion of the llange 18. Thus immediately and without any conscious and intentional elfort on the part of the user, the stealingof the slot 21 is immediately accomplished automatically, and in addition the tape thus sticking against the flange wall 18 will resist any accidental contact therewith which might tend to push it bak into the interior of the casing. This automatic adhsren' e Qf the fre@ @11d of the tape against the .flange A13,A described. will in Itlfst @ses be Sieat- Nevertheless it is convenient and it is recommended that the user employ one finger to press the free end of the tape over into the position shown in Fig. 2 in order to gain the advantage of sealing as much as possible of the sticky side of the tape against the imperforate flange 18 where it will not readily dry out.

It is suflicient if only one-fourth of an inch of tape extend beyond the tape anchoring surface of ange 18. This will be suicient to be gripped by the lingers. It is recognized that this short protruding piece may become dry, but if it becomes too dry it can be pulled over to the cutting flange and severed at the time additional tape is being withdrawn for use.

By proportioning the distance between slot and the lianges 18 and 19 as shown and explained, a convenient amount of the free end A of the tape is left outside of the casing to facilitate the performance of the functions just mentioned- Fig.. 7 shows the dispenser modilied by the addition of a spring plate generally indicated as 33, equal in the width to the tape A, and having its inner end so formed that the `Cllfled ,edge portion 35 snugly and resiliently grips the rolled thickened edge of the casing wall and extends into the axially extending groove 34 of the casing wall. The outer end portion 36 of this plate extends as shown in Fig, 7 when no pressure is applied against it by the tape A. Howeven'when the user is withdrawing tape preparatory to severing it, as he pulls the tape in a path inclined just above the top of the flange 19, before bringing it down for severing (see Fig. 4) the spring portion 36 is weak enough to yield freely to the pressure of the tape. But after the tape is severed the spring portion 36 will positively press the Yfree end A of the tape against the liange 18 and stick it there, and further intimate adherence of the tape with that flange may then be accomplished by the lingers of the user.

The radial ribs 37 and 38 serve to hold the tape roll properly aligned on the hub 12, while permitting the atmosphere inside the casing to contact freely the moisture pad 14. Thus such tape as is extended from the roll within the casing will be disposed in an atmosphere whose humidity will depend upon the replenishment and the maintenance of moisture in the pad 14. In any event, the interior atmosphere being sealed as explained heretofore is free of air circulation and exchange with the outer atmosphere, hence, drying of the exposed tape, if it occurs at all, would exist only at a very reduced rate.

It will be observed that whether or not the spring plate 33 be employed, in any case the normal manner of withdrawing tape from the dispenser is to draw it out along an inclined path passing just above the cutting edge, permitting the user. to visually measure or estimate the length of the severable portion extended beyond the cutting edge 20. In so withdrawing the tape its adhesively coated side is held away from the opposed margin of the slot and accordingly remains unmar'red` and undamaged.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown herein and described in detail, it should be understood that the invention is susceptible of some modification and that such modifications and variations of the invention are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Having shown and described the invention, I claim:

1. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing having means for rotatably mounting a tape roll therein,` a pair of spaced apart outwardly projecting members on its periphery, means forming an axially extending slot in the casing at the base of one of said members for the free end 0f a tape roll to extend through, including means contacting the non-adhesive side of the tape when the adhesive side of the free end of the tape is adhered to said one member after being severed, said slot forming means including means at the end margins of the Slot barring air flowpast the edges of the tape into and out of the casing, and severing means on the outermost edge of said other member.

2. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing having a cup portion `and a closure portion, means for rotatably mounting a tape roll carried by one of said portions, a pair of spaced apart outwardly projecting members on the periphery of the cupportion, means forming an axially extending slot intersecting an edge of the cup portion and extending at the base of one of said members for the free end of a tape roll to extend through, including means contacting the non-adhesive side of the tape when the adhesive side of the free end of the tape is adhered to said one member after being severed, said slot forming means including means at the end margins of the slot barring air flow past the edges of the tape into and out of the casing, and severing means on the outermost edge of said other member.

3. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing having a cup portion and a closure portion, means for rotatably mounting a tape roll carried by one of said portions, means carried by one of said portions for holding a quantity of moisture within the casing, a pair of spaced apart outwardly projecting members on the periphery of the cup portion, means forming an axially extending slot intersecting an edge of the cup portion and extending at the base of one of said members for the free end of a tape roll to extend through, including means contacting the non-adhesive side of the tape when the adhesive side of the free end of the tape is adhered to said one member after being severed, said slot forming means including means at the end margins of the slot barring air flow past the edges of the tape into and out of the casing, and severing means on the outermost edge of said other member.

4. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing having means for rotatably mounting a tape roll therein, the casing having a pair of spaced apart outwardly projecting members on its periphery and an axially extending slot adjoining one of them for the free end of a tape roll to protrude through, tape severing means on the outer edge of the other member, and means on the casing associated with said slot for slidably guiding the nonadhesive side of the tape when being withdrawn in an inclined path immediately overlying said severing means and operative to press a severed free end of tape against a tape anchoring surface of the dispenser upon release of said free end when severed and simultaneously establishing along the non-adhesive side of the tape within the slot passage a seal against air tiow into and out of the casing.

5. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing having means for rotatably mounting a tape roll therein, the casing having a pair of spaced apart outwardly projecting members on its periphery and an axially extending slot between said members and adjoining one of them for the free end of a tape roll to protrude through, tape severing means on the outer edge of the other member, and yieldable means on the casing on one margin of said slot compressible by the tape against said margin for slidably guiding the non-adhesive side of the tape when being Withdrawn in an inclined path immediately overlying said severing means, and operative to press a severed free end of tape against the member which adjoins said slot upon release of said free end when severed.

6. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing having means for rotatably mounting a tape roll therein and a pair of spaced apart radially projecting members on its periphery and an axially extending rectangular slot between said members and adjoining the base of one of them for the free end of a tape roll to protrude through, said slot having radially spaced inner and outer margins, tape severing means on the outermost edge of the other of said members, the inner margin of the slot being positioned for slidably guiding the nonadhesive side of the tape when bent therearound and being withdrawn in an inclined path overlying said severing means, the radially outer margin of the slot being circumferentially so positioned relatively to the inner margin that when the severed free end of the tape contacts both margins and is adhered to the outer margin it s reversely curved and establishes an air seal along said margins.

7. A dispenser for pressure `sensitive tape comprising a casing having means for rotatably mounting a tape roll therein, the casing having a pair of spaced apart outwardly projecting members on its periphery andi a narrow axially extending rectangular slot between said members and adjoining one of them for the free end of a tape roll to protrude through, tape severing means on the outer edge of the other member, one margin of said slot being positioned for slidably guiding the non-adhesive side of the tape when being withdrawn iu an inclined path immediately overlying said severing means, the opposite margin of the slot and the first member being spaced from said path and providing anchoring surfaces for the adhesive side of the tape when it is rotated away from said severing means, said opposite margin being positioned radially outwardly of the inner margin whereby the tape end, after being severed on the severing means, resiliently reacts on the inner margin to establish and maintain contact with both margins, thus excluding airflow between the top and said margins.

8. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing having means for rotatably mounting a tape roll therein, the casing having a pair of spaced apart outwardly projecting members on its periphery and] a narrow axially extending rectangular slot between said members and adjoining one of them for the free end of a tape roll to protrude through, tape severing means on the outer edge of the other member, the first member being spaced from said path and providing an anchoring surface for the tape when rotated away from said severing means, the slot having radially inner and outer margins, the inner and outer margins of the slot being so positioned relatively to the anchoring surface on the first member and so staggered relatively to each other and with reference to a radial plane of the casing mounting means that when tape is drawn from the roll and adhesively adhered to said anchoring surface the tape makes an air sealing contact with both said margins.

9. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing having a cup portion and a closure portion, means for rotatably mounting a tape roll carried by one of said portions, a pair of spaced apart outwardly projecting members on the periphery of the cup portion, means forming an axially extending narrow rectangular slot intersecting an edge of the cup portion and extending between said members at the base of one of said members for the free end of a tape roll to extend through, tape severing means on the outer portion of said other member, one longitudinal margin of said slot being positioned for slidably guiding the non-adhesive side of the tape when being withdrawn in an inclined path immediately overlying said severing means, the opposite margin of' the slot and the first member being spaced from said path and providing anchoring surfaces for the adhesive side of the tape when rotated away from said severing means, the closure portion having means for sealing said slot intersection at said cup edge.

l0. A dispenser for pressure sensitive tape comprising a casing member and a closure member, means for rotatably mounting a pressure sensitive tape on one of said members, an outwardly extending projection on the periphery of the casing having tape severing edge means thereon, said casing having a relatively narrow axially extending rectangular slot in its peripheral wall spaced a substantial distance circumferentially from said severing edge, the slot having radially spaced apart inner and outer opposite margins, the inner margin being positioned for slidably guiding the non-adhesive side of the tape when the tape is being withdrawn in an inclined nonradial path immediately overlying said severing edge, the

'7 outer margin being clear of but radially overlying said path and providing an anchoring surface against which they adhesive side of the face may be adhered when rotated away from said severing edge, said inner margin serving as a fulcrum on which the free end of the tape when'` releasedV after a severing operation reacts to swing into Contact with said outer margin while the non-adhesive sde of the tape retains Contact with said inner margin thus air sealing both sides` of the tape, meansl on the periphery of the casing adjoining said outer margin and clear of said path against which a portion of the free end of the tape may be manually pressed, and means on the casing and closure member establishing an air seal at '8 the opposite, edges of the tape end protruding through said slot.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

